A seasoned politician himself, former Gov. Ted Strickland knows presidential candidates hold a wide variety of positions on the issues of the day.

“Voters just don’t expect one candidate to espouse all of those views,” he said today as Democrats launched a coordinated national attack against Republican contender Mitt Romney and what critics call his “flip-flops.”

Strickland showed reporters in Columbus a new 30-second TV ad, which will air in several key states (including Ohio), that shows Romney contradicting himself on abortion and health-care reform.

Asked by the Democratic National Committee to aid its efforts to re-elect President Barack Obama, Strickland went on the offensive and said Romney will “ say anything” to get elected. He conceded that candidates’ stances on issues can evolve, but he said Romney’s switches too often are just “gross pandering.”

He cited several examples, including the federal bailout of domestic automakers, climate change, immigration reform and Ohio’s anti-collective bargaining law, which was crushed at the ballot box three weeks ago.

The GOP’s presidential primary race has yet to officially begin — the Iowa caucuses are in early January — but the Obama campaign has pegged Romney as the likely Republican challenger to the president. Democrats have also created a website, www.MittvMitt.com, to further track and highlight Romney statements that can be perceived to be contradictory.

Romney supporters in Ohio and elsewhere came to his defense today, saying Obama must be scared to face him if he already is resorting to negative ads before a single GOP primary vote has been cast. Obama himself was the subject of an attack ad from Romney that started airing last week.

“It’s hard to stand on a record when you’ve accomplished nothing and failed at leading,” said state Rep. Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville.

State Sen. Mark Wagoner, R-Toledo, said he is more concerned with where Romney stands on abortion now than in the past.

“I’m able to look past that, and I think a majority of pro-life Ohioans will likewise,” he said during a conference call.